CONFIDENTIAL
BACKGROUND NOTE
MR PETER GODBER, EX CHIEF SUPERINTENDENT HONG KONG POLICE
1.
Mr Godber left Hong Kong on 8 June at a time when
prosecutions against him under Section 10 of the Prevention of
Bribery Ordinance were at an advanced stage. Mr Godber is at
present at Rye in Sussex. There is no corresponding offence in
this country to Section 10 of the Hong Kong Prevention of
Bribery Ordinance which makes it an offence for a public
servant to be in possession of pecuniary resources, dispropor-
tionate to his official emoluments unless he can offer a
satisfactory explanation. The Hong Kong Government are thus
unable to seek his return under the Fugitive Offenders Act. The
Hong Kong Police have been actively investigating the possibility
of charging Mr Godber with some other offence for which the
Fugitive Offenders Act could be used, but so far without success.
2. Sir Alastair Blair-Kerr who was appointed by the Governor
to investigate the departure of Mr Godber and to propose further
measures has recommended that the Fugitive Offenders Act 1967
should be amended so as to enable Godber and other offenders
charged with criminal offences which are not relevant offences
under the Fugitive Offenders Act to be extradited to Hong Kong
to stand trial.
3. We have told the Governor that we will look again at the
possibility of a change in the law on general grounds which
would not be retrospective in form and therefore would not
catch Godber. Mr Royle is writing to his opposite number in
the Home Office asking to discuss this question.
14.
CONFIDENTIAL